Mother's clay - scratched up a black paint job...

[Fordiesel69]

http://www.amazon.com/Mothers-07240-Cali...ds=mothers+clay

That car was "warshed" with a heavy solution of dish soap and water to rid as much road grime prior to claying. In my opinion the car was waxed and washed often anyways.

I used one block of clay on the back of the car and it produced some scratching. My friend used another block of clay on the hood and front fenders which cause a sanding effect. Kinda like if we would have color sanded with 4000 grit. I used a bucked of dish soap water for the lubricant, while he used the detail spray.

Any ideas what we did wrong, or is this clay kit [censored]?

 

[T_CUDA]

First problem is the dish soap. Dish soap is for dishes. It contains ground up microscopic glass, thats how it cleans the dishes and scratches your paint. I use spray wax as a lubricant for clay bar. Not dish soap.

 

[WrxRcr]

Wow dish soap, why the [censored] did you use dish soap?

 

[RF Overlord]

Zaino recommends using liquid Dawn dish soap before applying their products as it removes the old wax and grease/oil and establishes a good clean base.

 

[Fordiesel69]

For years on detail forums that I have read, dish soap is highly recommended for it lubricating & grease cutting action.

 

[[email protected]]

Originally Posted By: Fordiesel69
For years on detail forums that I have read, dish soap is highly recommended for its lubricating & grease cutting action.


Welp, didnt work this time.

 

[Bgallagher]

Poor technique and chemicals were the cause of this. Not the clay

First off you will need to polish the scratches out.

Next time you use the clay wash the car with a citrus based wash (Chemical guys make a few that will remove dirt/grime etc. but wont dry out the paint the way Dawn can.) Then I would use either a quick detailer or diluted car wash in a spray bottle and mist heavily before and during the clay process. The clay should not drag at all. Also, no pressure should be applied while using the clay. If the clay falls on the ground at any point you must throw it out. It will only scratch and marr your surface. Once done claying you will need to rewash the car to remove anything that might have been released but not removed.

Try this next time and you will have very different results

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: Fordiesel69
For years on detail forums that I have read, dish soap is highly recommended for it lubricating & grease cutting action.


Dawn washes were once regarded as the standard but for its grease cutting. NOT for its lubricating. ONR (optimum no rinse) on the other hand has become the new go to for clay lube, rinseless wash and and quick detailer. Leave the dawn in the kitchen

 

[Wheelzntoys]

He mentioned his friend used detail spray and still scratched the paint.

Is this your first time claying? Maybe too much pressure and not enough clay kneading.

I would also try a different clay to see if it helps.

 

[xBa380]

The dishsoap is NOT to be used as a clay lubricant. The clay is actually abrasive, so the lube is crucial. Use proper products.

I don't get the use of dish soap in any way though... The clay will remove all the bonded contaminants, old wax, etc... As a detailer myself, I always just use proper car wash (Meguiars Gold Class) before I clay and do corrective work afterward. Never have used dish soap for anything on my car.

This was 100% operator error, sorry to say.

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: xBa380
The dishsoap is NOT to be used as a clay lubricant. The clay is actually abrasive, so the lube is crucial. Use proper products.

I don't get the use of dish soap in any way though... The clay will remove all the bonded contaminants, old wax, etc... As a detailer myself, I always just use proper car wash (Meguiars Gold Class) before I clay and do corrective work afterward. Never have used dish soap for anything on my car.

This was 100% operator error, sorry to say.



+1. I am also a detailer and that is what I chalk it up to

 

[demarpaint]

Leave dish soap for washing dishes. It does a great job removing wax, but I guess there can be some negative side effects on automotive paint.

 

[Fordiesel69]

So what bulk product should be used for clay lube. The detail spray is often gone before the clay wears out.

On a side note, youtube is filled with professionals using dish soap for lube with great success. I peronally used it on my dark green and silver cars with no issues at all. This issue is specific to something other than dish soap.

I will add it was VERY cold. Like 33 deg and the clay felt rock hard. Could this have been it?

 

[VonVolkenburg]

I am the friend who used the clay lube and used the clay exactly as directed. I did not use a lot of pressure, "fordiesel69" cautioned me not to do so. Some of the explanations of the problems just don't make sense considering that I did the hood section of the car and still created the sanding effect. I re-kneaded after every 2' x 2' section. I let the clay glide over the pant without pressure feeling for the grit. I moved on after it was completely smooth. So tell me what i did wrong...

 

[Corvette Owner]

Your quote, "I will add it was VERY cold. Like 33 deg and the clay felt rock hard. Could this have been it?"


I wouldn't recommend claying a car when it is extremely cold. Not sure if this could be the problem, but just saying it is not a good idea. You want the clay pliable, so it "picks up" contaminates.

 

[gizzsdad]

Originally Posted By: Fordiesel69
So what bulk product should be used for clay lube. The detail spray is often gone before the clay wears out.


I saw this recommended the other day:

1) Rubbermaid Professional Plus Heavy-Duty Spray Bottle (I got several at WalMart).

2) http://www.duragloss.com/16-oz---Duragloss-Rinseless-Wash

In the 32 oz. spray bottle, put about 10 oz. of water (distilled, if you're anal like me), then 5 oz. of DG 931 (or your favorite rinseless wash). Mix thoroughly, then finish filling with water.

Now you have 32 oz. of high quality clay lube or QD for cheap.


The Mothers bar is very gentle, so I tend to agree with those above about user error - although the cold may have had a small effect.

 

[stephen9666]

I did a little googling before the last time I clayed my car, and if memory serves I used diluted car wash soap as the lube.

 

[RTexasF]

The low temperature did not help matters. Are you 100% positive that the claying didn't simply expose what was there all along? The whole idea is to decontaminate the surface so as to really see the condition of the paint in order to determine the next step. How old is this car? Has the paint ever been machine polished?
Being black I'm thinking it was way past due for a machine polishing and the washing/claying just showed the true surface.

 

[bretfraz]

I can't tell you how many times I have micro-marred a car by claying. No matter how "safe" they say paint detailing clay is, it is still an abrasive in a plasticene matrix. Even the mild consumer clays will install micro scratches. Happens all the time to me.

Claying is part of an overall detailing process/plan. As long as you plan to polish the car after claying, any micro-marring is a non issue as the scratches will be removed.


The lube spray stuff makes no major difference in my experience. Use whatever you like.